ABSTRACT: We verified the spatial and temporal distribution of the olive leaf moth (Palpita forficifera Munroe, 1959) in a new potential region for olive cultivation and evaluated the bioinsecticides effectiveness to control this pest. The experimental orchard composed by Koroneiki and Arbequina cultivars was planted in Pato Branco, Southwest region of Paraná, Brazil. In the field, larvae counts were performed weekly on 25 plants of each cultivar, for 12 months, to verify the spatial and temporal distribution. Furthermore, in laboratory conditions, second instar larvae of P. forficifera were fed with olive leaves treated with Azadirachta indica oil, Bacillus thuringiensis, Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana, and the effectiveness in the larvae mortality was used to compare four bioinsecticides and control. The P. forficifera larvae occurred mainly during the three summer months, had a host preference for the ‘Arbequina’ (68.9% of total larvae) and occurred at random distribution patterns throughout the orchard. The A. indica oil and B. thuringiensis both caused almost 100% larvae mortality under laboratory conditions.

RESUMO: Os objetivos deste trabalho foram verificar a distribuição espacial e temporal da lagarta-da-oliveira (Palpita forficifera Munroe, 1959) em uma nova região com potencial de cultivo de oliveira e avaliar a eficiência de controle desta praga com bioinseticidas. O pomar experimental com as cultivares Koroneiki e Arbequina foi implantado em Pato Branco, região Sudoeste do Paraná, Brasil. No pomar foram realizadas contagens semanais de lagartas em 25 plantas de cada cultivar, durante 12 meses, para verificar a distribuição espacial e temporal. Além disso, em condições de laboratório, larvas de segundo instar foram submetidas à alimentação com folhas de oliveira tratadas com óleo de neem (Azadirachta indica), Bacillus thuringiensis, Metarhizium anisopliae e Beauveria bassiana, e a efetividade de mortalidade das larvas foi utilizada para comparação entre os quatro bioinseticidas e a testemunha. As lagartas de P. forficifera ocorreram concentradas durante os três meses de verão, tiveram preferência hospedeira pela cultivar Arbequina (68,9% do total de larvas registradas), e ocorreram em padrão de distribuição aleatório ao longo do pomar. A aplicação de óleo de neem (A. indica) ou de B. thuringiensis causaram quase 100% de mortalidade das larvas em condições de laboratório.

The effect of beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) supplementation associated with exercise training at different intensities and frequencies on skeletal muscle regeneration of muscle-injured rats was investigated. Male Wistar rats were divided into sedentary and trained groups. The sedentary groups were subdivided into non-injured (SED-Ct), non-injured supplemented with HMB (SED-Ct-HMB), injured (SED), and injured with HMB (SED-HMB), and the trained groups were injured, supplemented with HMB, and then divided into training three times a week without load (HT3) or with load (HT3L) and training five times a week without load (HT5) and with load (HT5L). The rats received a daily dose of HMB associated with 60 min of swimming with or without 5% body mass load for 14 days. On the 15th day, cryoinjury was performed in the right tibialis anterior muscle (TA), and 48 h later, supplementation and training continued for 15 days. After the last session, the TA was dissected and a cross-sectional area (CSA) of muscle fibers was used to determine the percentage of CSA fibers and connective tissue (%CT), as well as the total and phosphorylated protein contents. SED-HMB showed increased CSA and decreased %CT and TGF-β when compared to SED. HT3 showed increased CSA and reduced %CT accompanied by increased IGF-1/Akt, myogenin, and MuRF1, and decreased TGF-β. The CSA of HT5L also increased, but at the cost of a higher %CT compared to the other groups. Our results demonstrated that HMB associated with training without load and with lower frequency per week may be a valuable strategy for skeletal muscle regeneration.

RESUMO: Os animais silvestres de vida livre podem albergar uma grande variedade de endoparasitas. Esses animais, quando submetidos a condições de cativeiro podem passar por situações de estresse e desenvolver parasitoses. Neste sentido, o objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar a infecção parasitária em mamíferos, aves e répteis silvestres mantidos no Zoológico da Universidade de Caxias do Sul, no Rio Grande do Sul/Brasil. A população estudada foi de 76 animais, nos quais 50% (38/76) eram aves, 35,53% (27/76) mamíferos e 14,47% (11/76) répteis, distribuídos em 33 recintos diferentes. Amostras de fezes foram coletadas dos recintos e analisadas em triplicata pelo método de centrífugo-flutuação com solução de Sulfato de Zinco. Como não foi possível analisar em triplicata o material dos recintos 31, 32, 33 os quais alojam as serpentes e o recinto 15 pois o animal veio a óbito, o total de análises foi de 91 amostras. Os resultados demonstraram que 41,76% (38/91) das amostras foram positivas para, pelo menos, um endoparasita da classe Nematoda, Cestoda ou Coccidia. As amostras positivas indicaram a presença de um ou mais parasitas sendo da ordem Strongylida (34,21%), Enoplida e Strongylida (23,68%), apenas Enoplida (23,68%), Cyclophyllidea e Oxyurida (5,26%), apenas Ascaridida (5,26%), Enoplida, Strongylida e Ascaridida (5,26%), e Enoplida e Eucoccidiorida (2,63%). Das amostras positivas 55,26% foram de aves, sendo que ovos de Capillaria sp. foi a principal estrutura identificada, 39,47% de mamíferos apontando que a ordem Strongylida foi a mais prevalente e 5,27% de répteis. O estudo demonstrou que, dentre os parasitas encontrados, aqueles da ordem Strongylida foram os mais frequentes, sendo observada em monoinfecção ou infecção mista em 63,16% das amostras analisadas. Dos animais avaliados, as aves e mamíferos foram os que apresentaram maior quantidade de amostras positivas para endoparasitas. Diante disso, é importante a realização de pesquisas que permitem avaliar a fauna parasitária para que seja possível determinar as condições em que esses parasitas se tornam patogênicos aos animais cativos.

ABSTRACT: Free-living wild animals can host a wide variety of endoparasites. When subjected to conditions of captivity, these animals can go through stressful situations and develop parasites. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify parasitic infection in wild mammals, birds, and reptiles kept at the “Universidade de Caxias do Sul” Zoo, in Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. The population studied was based on 76 animals, divided into 50% (38/76) birds, 35.53% (27/76) mammals, and 14.47% (11/76) reptiles distributed in 33 different enclosures. Fecal samples were collected from the enclosures and analyzed in triplicate, using the centrifugal-flotation method with a zinc sulfate solution. Samples from the enclosures 31, 32, 33, (where snakes are located), and 15 (animal death), were not analyzed in triplicate, so the total number of analyses was 91 samples. The results showed that 41.76% (38/91) of the samples were positive for at least one class of endoparasites, such as Nematoda, Cestoda, or Coccidia. The positive samples showed the presence of at least one or more parasites from orders Strongylida (34.21%), Enoplida and Strongylida (23.68%), Enoplida only (23.68%), Cyclophyllidea and Oxyurida (5.26%), Ascaridida only (5.26%), Enoplida, Strongylida, and Ascaridida (5.26%), and Enoplida and Eucoccidiorida (2.63%). Considering the positive samples, 55.26% were collected from birds, 39.47% from mammals, and 5.27% from reptiles. Capillaria sp. eggs were the main structure found in birds, and eggs from the order Strongylida were the most found in samples from mammals. This study showed the order Strongylida as the most frequent parasite found in 63.16% of the total samples, established either in isolated or mixed infestations. Also, mammals and birds were those with a greater quantity of positive samples for endoparasites. Therefore, this study emphasizes the importance of carrying out research assessing the gastrointestinal parasitic fauna in wild animals, so one can determine the conditions under which these parasites become pathogenic to wild animals raised in captivity.

RESUMO A área foliar (cm2 por folha) e o conteúdo de pigmentos foliares são importantes características usadas para melhor entender a fisiologia das plantas. Neste estudo, modelos não-destrutivos para área foliar e conteúdo de pigmentos baseados no comprimento (L) e na largura (W) da folha, e na leitura do teor de clorofila, foram desenvolvidos para feijoa (Acca sellowiana). O experimento foi desenvolvido durante o mês de janeiro de 2016 usando 60 genótipos com cinco anos de idade, cultivados no estado do Paraná, Brasil. A proposta de modelo para área foliar (LA) foi L A = 0 , 0022 L 3 + 0 , 1482 W 2 + 0 , 6159 L W + 0 , 1076 (R2 = 0,99). Três modelos encontrados na literatura também foram analisados. Todos esses modelos tiveram menor acurácia que o modelo proposto por este estudo. Os modelos propostos para estimar os pigmentos foliares foram baseados no Falker Chlorophyll Index para clorofila a (A) and b (B), sendo estes C h l a = 2 , 564 A + 13 , 098 B - 42 , 605 (R2 = 0,94), C h l b = 1 , 538 A + 3 , 287 B + 8 , 847 (R2 = 0,86) e C a r o t e n o i d e s = 0 , 947 B + 8 , 943 (R2 = 0,88) expressos como µmol m-2 de lâmina folha. Conclui-se que os modelos propostos neste estudo se mostraram confiáveis métodos não destrutíveis para estimar a área foliar e o conteúdo de pigmento foliares em A. sellowiana.

ABSTRACT Leaf area (cm2 per leaf) and leaf pigment content are important traits that can be used to better understand a plants physiology. In this study, empirical non-destructive models for leaf area and leaf pigment based on the leaf dimensions, length (L) and width (W) in centimeters, and chlorophyll meter readings were developed for feijoa (Acca sellowiana). The experiment was carried out during January 2016 using five-year-old trees of 60 genotypes, grown under field conditions in the state of Paraná, Brazil. The proposed leaf area (LA) model was L A = 0 . 0022 L 3 + 0 . 1482 W 2 + 0 . 6159 L W + 0 . 1076 (R2 = 0.99). Three current leaf area models found in the literature were also assessed. All of the already created models were less accurate than the model proposed in this article. The proposed leaf pigment models were based on the Falker Chlorophyll Index for Chlorophyll a (A) and b (B), these were C h l a = 2 . 564 A + 13 . 098 B - 42 . 605 (R2 = 0.94), C h l b = 1 . 538 A + 3 . 287 B + 8 . 847 (R2 = 0.86) and C a r o t e n o i d s = 0 . 947 B + 8 . 943 (R2 = 0.88) expressed as µmol m-2 of leaf blade. In conclusion, the proposed models in this study were shown to be a reliable non-destructivel way of estimating A. sellowiana leaf area and leaf pigment.

Resumo O objetivo do presente estudo foi analisar a regeneração muscular após criolesão no músculo tibial anterior de ratos jovens desnutridos e recuperados. Foram utilizados 40 ratos da linhagem Wistar, divididos em 2 grupos: ratos nutridos receberam dieta normoproteica (14% de caseína) por 90 dias; e ratos desnutridos e recuperado submetidos a duas fases nutricionais pós-desmame, correspondendo a 45 dias de desnutrição com dieta hipoproteica (6% caseína), seguida por 45 dias de dieta normoproteica (14% caseína). Ao completar a fase de recuperação, todos os animais foram submetidos à criolesão no músculo tibial anterior direito e a eutanasia ocorreu 7, 14 e 21 dias após a lesão. A quantidade de tecido conjuntivo e a área de inflamação 14 dias pós-lesão foi maior no grupo desnutrido, recuperado e lesado (MRI – malnourished, recovered and injured group) (p < 0,05). A área de secção transversa (AST) das fibras regeneradas do grupo MRI foi menor (p < 0,05). O conteúdo das proteínas MyoD e Miogenina foi maior no grupo nutridos e lesados. A citocina TGF-β1 não apresentou diferença entre os grupos. O protocolo proposto foi eficaz para demonstrar alterações no processo de regeneração do músculo tibial anterior de ratos jovens, atrasando o reparo muscular mesmo após a recuperação nutricional.

Abstract The aim of this study was to analyze muscle regeneration after cryoinjury in the tibialis anterior muscle of young rats that were malnourished and then recovered. Forty Wistar rats were divided into a nourished group that received a normal protein diet (14% casein) for 90 days and a malnourished and recovered rats group (MR) that was submitted to 45 days of malnutrition with a hypoproteic diet (6% casein) followed by 45 days of a normal protein diet (14% casein). After the recovery period, all of the animals underwent cryoinjury in the right tibialis anterior muscle and euthanasia after 7, 14 and 21 days. The amount of connective tissue and the inflammation area was higher in the malnutrition recovered injury MR group (MRI) at 14 days post-injury (p < 0.05). Additionally, the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the regenerated fibers was decreased in the MRI (p < 0.05). The MyoD and myogenin protein levels were higher in the nourished injury group. Similar levels of TGF-β1 were found between groups. The proposed malnutrition protocol was effective in showing delayed changes in the regeneration process of the tibialis anterior muscle of young rats. Furthermore, we observed a delay in muscle repair even after nutritional recovery.